mjnewman LookingOutwards-02, Section A

Roman Verostko is an American artist, who uses code and machinery to create meticulous flowing forms on paper. Verostko has produced works like Cyberflower VII (2000)

using a pen attached on a point plotter powered by algorithms coded on the computer. What drew me (pun intended) to Verostko’s work is the effort he took to convert digital products into the physical ultimately creating an organic form constructed of many delicate, yet precise lines all through machinery. He first learned how to create form through algorithms with FORTRAN in 1970. He now uses elementary BASIC with DMPL to drive a Houston Instruments plotter (with inkwell pen attached) hooked up to a PC in order to translate the digital into physical. Verostko initially turned to art of the early 20^th century for inspiration. He is specifically drawn to the “pure form” that artists such as Suprematist Kazimir Malevich and De Stijl artist Piet Mondrian were able to capture in their paintings. It personally makes sense to me that someone interested in algorithms to create artwork would be attracted to the simple and mathematical approach painters like Malevich and Mondrian had with their paintings. This video below demonstrates the precision and care Verostko places on his work, similar to his inspirations.